Student Trustee Report – September 2015
Harleen Arora and Andrew Liu
Madame Chair, Mr. Director, Trustees, Staff, Ladies and Gentlemen.
If you listen close enough, you can hear the sound of the school bell, followed by loud chatter as students fill the halls of schools all across York Region. The countdown is over. Today marks the first day of school. And like the first page of a diary, students are excited to embrace the fresh start, eagerly awaiting for the next pages of their story to unfold. It is our greatest pleasure and honour to be serving the students of the York Region District School Board this upcoming year.
To prepare for the upcoming term, Andrew and I attended the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association (OSTA) Annual General Meeting that was held in May. It provided an opportunity to meet and make connections with other Student Trustees from all over Ontario. We were also fortunate enough to hear the Minister of Education, the Honourable Liz Sandals speak at the conference. Specifically, she talked about the four pillars of education that Ontario is currently focusing on; achieving excellence, ensuring equity, promoting well being, and enhancing public confidence.
Over the summer months, the York Region President’s Council (YRPC) were gearing up for the busy year ahead. With our very first Executive meeting being held this Thursday, we’re ready to connect and share our ideas with the students of York Region. We have a lot planned for the upcoming school year, and we’re beyond excited to bring about change for the students. During our term, Harleen and I intend on focusing our efforts in the following four categories: Innovation and 21st Century Learning, Youth and Civic Engagement, Elementary Student Engagement, and Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being. Our brains are bustling with ideas that we wish to share and suggest with you, the YRPC, and our students, all with the ultimate goal of improving student voice and engagement.
Andrew and I are exceptionally humbled to be serving as the Student Trustees of this incredible Board this year. Last year’s Student Trustees Harii Mahesh and Daniel Roytman set the bar very high for us, and we know that we definitely have some big shoes to fill. They, along with other former Student Trustees, told us just how challenging, yet rewarding this school year would be. Nonetheless, that only makes us more excited for what’s to come. We are so honoured to have the opportunity to bring our thoughts, perspectives and ideas at the Board level, to make life just a little bit better for the wonderful students of this school Board. We would like to conclude by thanking you all for the help and guidance you’ve given us, whether it be for things already done or things to come. It means so much.
Finally, we want to thank all of the people who have helped us in our transition over the last few months; Kim Sexsmith, Audrey Ballard, Lisa Reinhart, and numerous other staff and trustees. Your help has been greatly appreciated.
We would like to continue Daniel and Harii’s tradition of concluding with a quote. So in closing, we will leave you with the wise words of Dr. Seuss, “Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!” September, which seemedso far just a couple of months ago, is finally here. We couldn’t be more excited to be off and away, and can’t wait for the Great Places we will uncover together.
Thank you.